Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Widespread throughout tropical oceans.
Size: 30 inches (76 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow reefs and hides during daylight hours under ledges and in crevices and usually found at depths between 6 to 100 feet (2 - 30 m) where it feeds mainly at night on benthic invertebrate.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade, and having a tannish upper body, white belly, and numerous brown spots.
Best maintained in fish-only aquariums with wide-open swimming areas, peaceful tankmates, and tankmates too large to be eaten.
Should not be housed with aggressive or fin-nipping fishes, such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or angelfishes, as this is a slow moving species.
Requires a varied diet, i.e., enriched live brine shrimp, mysis, chunky chopped fish or shrimp flesh, and/or carnivore frozen foods, along with some vegetable matter. Should have numerous daily feedings, preferably early daytime and late evenings.
Taxonomy:
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Suborder: Tetraodontoidei
Family: Diodontidae
Genus: Diodon
FYI: Will eat smaller fishes, ornamental shrimp, crabs, snails, urchins, sea stars, and worms.
Will nip the fins of slow moving tankmates.
May eat soft corals.
Mainly nocturnal.
Can inflate their bellies with air and look balloon-like.
Experience Level: Expert
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful, and larger
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons
Temperature Range: 70 - 82°F (21 - 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
